Arslanian U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,516 discloses a paperboard container having side walls defined by vertical score lines. A series of score lines, described as shock absorbing score lines, extend outwardly from each of these vertical score lines.
The Arslanian patent explains that the continuous vibrations and shock situations in the bottling plant and during transportation create a fatigue and cracking of the container coating because the side walls of the container are subject to pressure from the contained liquid which causes either constant or abrupt breathing of the side walls. Breathing is an in and out movement of the side walls. The effect is greatest at the bottom corners of the carton.
The placement and number of the score lines are shown in the drawings of the Arslanian patent. The score lines are shown extending completely across a side panel in FIGS. 7 and 8 or only partially across a side panel in FIGS. 1-6. The score lines are shown parallel to the bottom wall in FIGS. 1-4 and 7, at an angle to the bottom wall in FIG. 5 or as a combination of score lines parallel to the bottom wall and at an angle to the bottom wall in FIGS. 6 and 8. In each of the embodiments shown, there are a plurality of score lines at each location. There are 5 score lines at a location if the score lines are parallel to the bottom wall or 4 score lines at a location if the score lines are at an angle to the bottom wall.
The placement and number of the score lines are also described in the claims and the specification of the Arslanian patent.
The claims require that the score lines be located solely in the area more than 10% and not more than 25% of the height of a side panel of the carton, and the length of the score lines be at least 10% and not more than 25% of the width of a side panel of the carton. Claims 2 and 5 require the score lines to be at least 4 in number. Claim 2 requires and claim 5 appears to require the score lines to be at least 1/8" apart. In column 4 of the specification the score lines are described as being 1" long and approximately 5/16" apart, and starting 1" above the bottom of the container.
The patent indicates that this placement of the score lines keeps them in non-critical areas of the container walls, areas in which the vibrational forces will oppose each other. The purpose of the score lines is to prevent the smiles 58, shown in FIG. 14, forming at the bottom corners of the container by reducing the concentration of forces in the bottom corners of the side panels.